MICROSPORON FURFUR 551 



fermented; gelatin is ordinarily not liquefied; and indol 

 formation is uncommon. In cultures, the budding seen in the 

 tissues is also observed, and there is a varying amount of forma- 

 tion of segmented and branching hyphse, this being particularly 

 well marked in certain cases and giving rise to a definite 

 mycelium. Somewhat slender aerial hyphse sometimes occur 

 which may form lateral spherical conidia, and sometimes ter- 

 minal bodies resembling ascospores. The elements in cultures 

 resembling those seen in the tissues frequently also possess a 

 double-contoured capsule. 



A considerable number of the organisms isolated are patho- 

 genic for animals. Abscesses follow subcutaneous inoculation in 

 guinea-pigs, rabbits, and mice, and death may result. Intra- 

 venous injection may result in a fatal pulmonary infection; 

 intraperitoneal infection is often without result. 



MlCBOSPOKON FURFTJE. 



This is the organism associated with pityriasis versicolor. The con- 

 dition, which is very widespread all over the world, occurring often in 

 phthisical patients, is not looked upon as a disease of the skin, but is due 

 to the saprophytic growth of the microsporon on the skin surface. The 

 organism can be demonstrated in scrapings from the lesion, either ex- 

 amined in potash solution or in films stained by, for example, Gram's 

 method. The organism consists of an irregularly contoured crumpled 

 mycelium in segments from '7-13 /* long and 3-4 p. broad. Associated 

 with this, there are irregular groups of double-contoured spore-like 

 bodies from 4-7 n in diameter (Fig. 174). Nothing further is known 

 regarding the organism, as most attempts at cultivation have had a 

 negative result, and even where cultures are said to have been obtained 

 it has been impossible to secure continued growth. 



